Ignoblis Ritae

The Ignoblis Ritae are rituals created and observed by various packs. Most packs observe one or more rituals of this type. These rituals may or may not require the use of Sabbat clergy. Most of the Ignoblis Ritae are held during the packs' weekly meetings - the esbats. Many of these rituals are more along the lines of protocol and tradition rather than ritualism. Keep in mind that all packs are not the same, so the type of rituals and the number of rituals they employ will vary. Most packs use somewhere between three and 10 rituals as their own Ignoblis Ritae in addition to the Ignoblis Ritae common to almost all packs. Here are some of the various types of Ignoblis Ritae, divided up into categories:

Common Rituals

These rituals are used by almost all Sabbat, though each pack handles them in its own way. There is nothing concrete about these rituals, so they tend to change as the pack members and the times change. These rituals are often used in combination with the Vaulderie.

• Acceptance Rites:

  Almost all packs have a specific ritual they use to recognize a new leader, accept a probationary member as a full member, and accept a Sabbat recruit as a True Sabbat. The nature of the acceptance rites varies from pack to pack, but usually involves all members of the pack recognizing the new position of their fellow Sabbat, as well as that Sabbat taking some sort of oath of allegiance.

• Farewell Rites:

  This ritual is used to bid a fellow Sabbat, or an entire Sabbat pack, farewell. This ritual is used when a visiting pack leaves, when a fellow pack member leaves for a long period of time, and occasionally to honor the recently destroyed. The farewell rites usually involve the leader of the pack praising those who leave.

• Initiation Rites:

  The initiation rites are an important tradition for all Sabbat. This ceremony transfers rights to an individual, making her a Sabbat. This ritual differs from the acceptance rites in that the acceptance rites involve the entire pack. Initiation rites generally occur before the acceptance. For instance, defectors from the Camarilla go through initiation rites, but it may be years before they get the acceptance rites. The initiation rites are used to confer the power of the sect, not the power of the pack.

• Welcoming Rites:

  Packs use these rites to greet other Sabbat. The welcoming rites of both packs are combined for the celebration, with both bringing some new aspect to the festivities. The rites are more like a party, but at two points certain protocol is carried out. At the beginning of the welcoming rites, all pack members greet each otherindividually, presenting their names and their home. At thehigh point of the celebration, a gift is usually exchanged from pack to pack. The two leaders often use this ritual as an opportunity to discuss Sabbat plans.

Potential Rituals

What follows is a simple list of possible rituals a pack may enact. These are just some of the possibilities; there are many more. Most packs only use a few. Even if two packs happen to hold the same types of rituals, they probably hold them in different ways. Experiment with your own ideas to come up with rituals for your own pack. The rituals listed below are not described in great detail, thus allowing each pack to hold its own distinct version of the ritual.

• Blessings:

  The pack invokes a blessing upon itself or another for some important purpose. The ritual is used before dangerous missions and occasionally before Jyhad. It serves primarily as a morale boost.

• Call to Caine:

  These are various speeches that call upon the guidance of Caine for some great mission or event. The sabbat priest is not the only one that leads this ritual; all the pack members get a turn.

• Confession:

  This ritual is less a confession than it is a bragging contest. It is used at celebrations where each individual vampire relates his best, bravest and vilest accomplishments.

• Consecration Rites:

  These rituals sanctify an area or building. Usually a sacrifice of some kind is used and the area is then marked with signs representing its sanctity.

• Danse Macabre:

  The Dance of Death is held simply to celebrate being a vampire. The entire pack participates. Its members dance around, wrestle and drink each other's blood. Many packs dress in costumes and masks representing death. It is not uncommon for participants to frenzy.

• Ghost Dance:

  This special dance is held to honor the dead. The dance is not only for fallen members of the pack, but also for its human victims. The dance is carried out in many different ways.

• Harvest Rites:

  The harvest represents the mortal food supply. The rites are held to bless the hunt. The pack calls for aid in catching prey and covering the evidence. The rites usually involve a Blood Feast before or afterward.

• Jyhad Rites:

  The pack asks for a blessing in upcoming Jyhad through this ritual. It often acts out a mock battle, though Sabbat have been known to get carried away and seriously hurt each other.

• Oaths of Fealty:

  This is less a ritual than a swearing of mutual allegiance to one another. All the Sabbat of the pack profess their loyalty and responsibility to one another.

• Pack Creed:

  The pack creed is a short, emotionalspeech about the duties of pack members and the honor of the pack.

• Running the Gauntlet:

  The pack actually forms two parallel lines with a few feet between them. Then all pack members in turn, or one chosen pack member, runs between the two lines while the other vampires beat him.

• Sacrificial Rites:

  This is a ritual involving the sacrifice of a human, Lupine or vampire. The pack may hold this sacrifice as part of another ritual or separately for some special reason.

• Sun Dance:

  The Sun Dance is a ritual dance held from sunset to sunrise without pause. The ritual is always held on a full moon. Pack members usually dress in masks or paint. The Sun Dance often involves a pack member acting as a sacrifice by taking the test of pain known as the Indian stick trial for the length of the Sun Dance.

• Sunrise Service:

  This is a ritual of bravery. The Sabbat perform some special ceremony, then wait outside. The Sabbat prove their courage by seeing who among them can longest remain in the open as the sun rises. Many Sabbat have died during this ritual.

• Tests of Pain:

  During this ritual a Sabbat willingly puts herself to a test to see how strong of spirit she is. The ritual is used by some on all who would claim leadership, and by some as a form of punishment. There may be any number of reasons the test is used. A few examples of the kinds of tests are the Indian stick trial (where the pack hangs the subject up by a stick poked through the chest), the trial by fire (where various body parts of the subject are singed) and fasting. Various forms of torture are also commonly used.

• Thanksgiving Ritual:

  The vampires give thanks for some accomplishment in this ritual. They recognize someone or something as the reason for their success.

• Visionquest:

  In some packs, if an individual wishes to become leader or simply seeks advice, she must go on a visionquest. The Sabbat's visionquest is similar to that of the Plains Indians. The Sabbat m ust go alone to a desolate spot. There she must fast, drinking only enough vitae to avoid torpor. She must pray constantly, meditate, and mutilate herself to induce a vision.

• War Dance:

  The War Dance is a ritual dance similar to the Jyhad rites, but the War Dance is held before the commencement of a War Party. The War Dance may also be held during Crusades.